One in five people feel more comfortable talking online than face to face!

Technology has made some incredible changes in our lives, including the way we communicate and interact with others. It has certainly made the world a lot more connected – the developments in communication technology have transformed our ability to cooperate and interact with others.

Too many people these days rely on technology to communicate with others, and not just because distance prevents them from interacting face to face. As a matter of fact, according to the latest poll of 2,000 British adults (commissioned by Mars Petcare UK), a whopping 20% of the respondents admitted that they preferred communicating with others digitally than face to face!

That’s one in every five people, who said they would rather contact and interact with people online, than face to face.

One in five people preferred communicating online over face to face contact

People have become so used to using technology like emails, smartphone, social media, etc to connect and interact with others that the usual way of socialising (i.e face to face) is now becoming the unusual way. Not only is it the preferred way – if the outcomes of this poll are anything to go by, a lot of people actually find it challenging to interact with others face to face!

Here are some of the main findings of the research:

One in five adults finds it more comfortable communicating with others online, than in person.

About 30 percent of the participants admitted that they worry about bungling things up if they met people face to face, and are unsure about what to say.

About 33 percent of adults admitted to feeling nervous when meeting people for the first time

Nearly 40 percent of adults felt anxious and worried just at the thought of going out with friends

These findings are worrying, but perhaps not that surprising – the advent of technology has made it easier for a lot of people to use it as a crutch, rather than getting out of their comfort zone and meet people in person. This is yet another confirmation of the increase in social isolation and anxiety.

It is still important to interact with people face to face because as useful as technology is, it is not a substitute for in-person communication.

What is your take on these findings?

What’s your experience with social isolation – do you have any thoughts, and tips, to share?